No, our policy considers an assessment of risk, and does not discriminate against anyone. Postponements are in place for any number of potential donors who may be more likely to be exposed to infection or present other risks to patients. I’m in an exclusive relationship, why can’t I donate blood? The Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has visited this issue, and agrees that we are not being discriminatory with our deferral policy for men who have sex with men. We understand that there are different levels of risk among men who have sex with men. The latest information from the Kirby Institute (University of NSW) states that HIV continues to be transmitted primarily through sexual contact between men. Even within declared monogamous relationships, the risk is on average 50 times higher than in heterosexual couples.
However, even this sophisticated testing is unable to detect the early presence of infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. We refer to this as a ‘window period’ – it’s a time when the infection is just starting and isn’t yet detectable. Can I skip the question about men who have sex with men? This is why we can’t rely on testing alone. The donor questionnaire is a legal document that people must answer honestly.
